Air cleaner



Oct. 18, 1938. H. E. ALTGELT AIR CLEANER Filed March 18, 1955 l scribed and particularly pointed out in the Patented Oct. 18, 1938 PATENT OFFICE AIR CLEANER Herman E. Augen, south Bend, ma., um to Oliver Farm Equipment Company, a corpora-- v tion of Delaware Application March 18, 1935, Serial No. 11,571

'l Claims.

The present invention relates generally to air cleaners for internal combustion engines, but more particularly to an air cleaning device for vehicles such as the tractor and the like. V

One of the primaryv objects of the present in- -vention is to secure certain improvements and reiinements overthe construction of air cleaner described and claimed in my U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,033,368 issued March 10, 1936.

One of these refinements consists. of providing a novel bowl shaped container which provides a comparatively small surface for the oil in the bottom thereof so that the oil will be more thor- ,oughly agitated by the air as it is drawn therethrough. s

A further object of the present invention is to provide a n'ovel air cleaner container of the bowl shaped or inverted dome-like container which not only eliminates remote corners or places where the dirt may accumulate, but also provides a relatively enlarged air chamber in the top thereof to form in effect a temporary storage space of greater capacity for the cleaned air. after lt has passed through the oil.

Another object of the invention is to providey a novel and improved air cleaner construction in which the mouth of the tube connecting the air cleaner container with the dirt receptacle is substantially larger than the discharge end of the air intake'tube-submerged in the oil.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved air cleaner construction in which the air intake pipe thereof is so arranged as to prevent oil being discharged therethrough by reason of the engine backflrlng.

A further object of the invention .is to provide an improved air cleaner in which a novel duct located between the conduit leading from the cleaner proper `to the carburetor is so arranged that any oil passing with the clean air into the duct will be condensed on the walls thereof and be returned to the cleaner proper.

These and other objects are accomplished by providingl a construction and an arrangement of the various parts in the manner hereinafter deappending claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a transverse cross sectional view of my improved air cleaner showing the same mounted on the hood of an engine; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same partly in cross section.

As previously pointed out, the present invention comprises certain novel improvements and refinements over my aforesaid patent andl for the purpose of illustration, I have shown the same in' connection with a conventional form of engine hood generally indicated by the reference character lli. Formed as a part of and to the underside of lthe hood I by being soldered, welded or otherwise oil generally indicated by the reference char` z Y acter |2, to cover a small area or surface affording a greater agitation of the oil resulting in a more efllcient cleaning of the air. located at the axial center of the container ll and extending through an opening I3 of the hood l0, is an .air intake pipe or conduit i4 which has its lower end reduced or constricted or i-n the form of a conically shaped extension as shown at I6'. Mounted on the upper end of the intake pipe I4 is a removable cap I5 which is semi-spherical in shape. Located within the semi-spherical cap l5 and secured to the inneredge thereof is the conically shaped screen of ne wire mesh as shown at i8. The inner portion of y this screen IG has an outwardly protruding cylindrical portion as shown at l1 which -is adapted to telescopically seat itself within the upper end of the conduit Il. The outermost portion of this cylindrical screen I1 is beveled inwardly as shown at I8. Secured at the axial center of the semispherical cap Il is 'an oil measuring rod I9. Secured at a point adjacent lthe lower end of the intake conduit Il as shown at is an intake extension generally indicated by the reference y character 2l. This extension-2l of the air intake conduit I4 comprises a relatively flat conical section 22 at the upper end thereof which terminates in a downwardly extending converging-wall as shown at 23 so as to form in effect a constricted opening which is submerged beneath the oil l2 in the bottom of the container II. Extending from the lower end of the extension 2l across the bottom of the container ll is a wire' mesh or screen 25. Secured to and extending from the outer edges of the conical portion 22 of the extension 2i is.,y an upper v'ire screen 26 which has its outer edge thereof secured at the inner wall of the container Il. Mounted between these screens 26 and 25. and extending around the extension 2| yis a cleaning fibre generally indicated by the reference character 21. Secured to the bottom of the container'll adjacent to the opening 28 thereof is a tubular bracket 29. It will be observed that the mouth of this tubular bracket 29 as well as the opening 28 in the container is substantially twice the size of the opening 24 in-the air inlet extension 2|. Formed on the lower end of and communicating withy the tubular bracket 29 is a verticallyextending barrel portion generally indicated by the reference .character .30, which in turn is provided with a valveseat 3|. Reciprocally mounted in the threaded sleeve 32 mounted in the valve structure is a valve 33 adapted to be actuated by a lever 34. This lever 34 in addition to controlling the valve 33 is actuated to retain or disconnect a dirt receptacle or glass container 35 by oppositely disposed arms 36 in the manner clearly described and claimed in aforementioned patent. For that reason it is believed that a more detailed description of the same is unnecessary.

In order to facilitate the return of any oil which may be conveyed by the clean air passing from the upper portion of the air cleaner into the carburetor, I have provided a novel arrangement which includes a downwardly extending flange 31 surrounding an aperture in the hood I0 as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Connected to a second downwardly extending iiange 38 formed around an aperture located rearwardly of the ilange- 31 is an upwardly projecting conduit 39 which has its upper end as shown at 40 projecting slightly above the upper surface of the hood. The lower end of the conduit is connected to the carburetor in a manner well understood in the art. Extendingover the upperend of the conduit 39 and the opening 31 is a cap or covering 4| which establishes communicaand the conduit leading to the carburetor.

tion between the upper portion of the air cleaner The operation of my air cleaner is as follows:

The air to be cleaned, is drawn through the fine mesh wire or screen I6 underneath the cap I5 and is then drawn downwardly through the inlet pipe |4 and through the constricted opening located at 'the lower end into the enlarged extension 2|, thence downwardly through the constricted opening 24 of the extension which is submerged below the surface of the oil I2. The incoming air sets up an agitation of the oil which saturates the fibre 21 in the process of cleaning the air. As the air is being washed in this oil bath, the heavy particles and dirt settle downwardly and are directed by the curved sides of the bowl II into the relatively large opening 28 vlocated in the bottom of the bowl from where they are conducted through the conduit 29 to the dust collecting receptacle 35. The upper portion A'of the container Il is substantially larger than the lower portion thereof so as to establish in effect a. relatively temporary storage space for the clean air. This large storage space establishes a quiet zone for the clean air and permits a substantial part of the oil vapor to condense on the walls of the container before the air is passed into the carburetor. From this space the clean air is drawn into the opening 31 through the cap 4I to the conduit 39 leading to the carburetor. In this connection it will be noted that vany further condensation of the oil vapors upon the surfaces of the cap 4I will find its way back through the opening and ange 31 into the cleaner proper. It will also be noted in connection with my improved cleaner, that by providing a conically shaped end I5' on the inlet conduit I4 and constricting the lower end of the extension as shown at 2|, any backiiring by the engine will not cause a discharge of oil through the air cleaner.

stood that the same is capable of modification and that modification may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim is my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An air cleaner comprising a bowl-like container, said container adapted to hold a liquid, an air inlet conduit extending into said container having one end thereof submerged in said liquid, and a dirt receiving conduit communicating with said container located vertically below and substantially larger than the lower end of said inlet conduit.

2. An air cleaner comprising a bowl-like container, said container adapted to hold a liquid, an air inlet conduit extending into said container, said inlet conduit having a constricted and an expanded portion intermediate its ends, the lower end of said inlet conduit submerged in said liquid, a dirt collecting receptacle carried by said oontainer, and a conduit connecting said container with said dirt receptacle.

3. An air cleaner comprising an inverted domelike container, said container adapted to hold a liquid, and air inlet conduit extending into said container and having its lower end constricted, an air inlet extension connected to said conduit having an expanded upper portion and a constricted lower portion, the lower end of said extension submerged in said liquid, and a dirt collecting receptacle communicating with the lower end of said container.

4. An air cleaner comprising a containery having a constricted lower portion and an expanded upper portion, said container adapted to hold a liquid, an air inlet conduit extending into said container, and having its lower end constricted, an air.inlet .extension connected to said conduit having an expanded upper portion and a constricted lower portion. the lower end of said extension submerged in said liquid, and a dirt collecting receptacle connected to the lower portion of said container.

' 5. The combination of an air cleaner formed as a part of an engine hood, said container consisting of a reduced lower portion and an expanded upper portion, said container adapted to hold a liquid, an air inlet conduitoextending through said hood into said container and having its lower end submerged in said liquid, an air exit conduit communicating with the upper portion of said container, and means forming the to hold a liquid, an air inlet conduit extending through said hood into said container and having its lower end submerged in said liquid, an air exit conduit communicating with the upper portion of said container, and means including a portion of said hood for forming the connection hold a liquid, an air between said container and said last named conduit for returning the liquid condensed therein to said container.

7. The combination of an air cleaner formed as a part of an engine hood, said container e011-, sisting of a reduced lower portion and an expanded upper portion, said container adapted to inlet conduit extending through said hood into said container and having its lower end submerged in said liquid, lan air exit conduit communicating with the upper portion of said container, and a cap mounted on said hood forming the connection between said container and said last named conduit for returning the liquid condensed therein to said container.

' HERMAN E. ALTGELT. 

